Thread: Waukegan 287g app. two year wait for federal action; true???

Is this possibly true??? Will Waukegan and other communities who are following the rules have to wait two years to get approved/training? Anyone hear? Why would our mayor want to advertise this as well if you get my drift?


Homeland Security assesses Waukegan 287(g) application
Two-year wait for federal action

August 23, 2007
BY CRAIG PETERSON Special to the News-Sun

WAUKEGAN -- The federal government promptly acknowledged the city's application for authority to enforce immigration laws, but a decision granting that authority probably won't be so prompt.

On Monday, the Police Department informed the City Council that the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency sent a letter confirming that ICE had received the city's application certification as a local government with 287(g) Immigration Act authority. That provision allows trained local law enforcement officers to identify and detain immigrant criminals and directly process them for deportation.

Opponents, which include two aldermen and a large portion of the local Hispanic community, believe the authority is unnecessary, because deportations of criminal immigrants are already being done, and the city has a documented record of discriminatory practices toward Latino residents. In addition, the city should not be expending limited resources to perform a function assigned to the federal government.

Waukegan police officials will be meeting with ICE representatives early next month, Police Chief William Biang told the council.

The letter from the Department of Homeland Security stated the department will begin a preliminary assessment of the city's immigration enforcement situation to determine whether 287(g) authority would be appropriate for the federal government's enforcement of immigration laws in the Waukegan community.

Even if that assessment finds it to be appropriate, Mayor Richard Hyde said the federal government won't take any action on Waukegan's application for at least two years. Immigration law reform has failed in the current Congress, and it's unlikely to be revived until a new Congress convenes and a new president is elected.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... 22364,5_1_
WA23_WAUKEGANICE_S1.article

The Homeland Security Bill which passed in Congress right before their Aug. recess included $51 million for the 287g training program so I would be very surprised if it would take 2 yrs..Maybe Hyde is just keeping the lid on this to keep protesters quite or he may have been mis-quoted ...

Just a thought...